Love, Frankly Darling to Face Off in Epsom Oaks

Trainer Aidan O'Brien's heart will beat a little quicker than normal if the rain arrives at Epsom July 4 as Love, the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner and short-priced favorite for the Investec Oaks (G1), would have a preference for good ground.

Described as a "beautiful mover" by O'Brien, Love has always been viewed as a middle-distance filly, despite the fact she is not guaranteed to stay the Oaks' 12-furlong trip on pedigree.

"Love seems to be in good form," O'Brien said about the mount of Ryan Moore. "The plan has always been to go to the Guineas and then the Oaks, and everything has been well with her since Newmarket. We always thought she would get further this year. She only ran over a mile last year, but we've always viewed her as a filly who'd get further."

The substitutes bench at Ballydoyle, as ever, is littered with talent, so much so that Seamie Heffernan has given up two weeks of the Irish season in order to ride Ennistymon among others at Epsom and beyond this weekend.

Ennistymon and Passion finished second and third, respectively, behind Oaks rival Frankly Darling in the Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot, and O'Brien has been happy with the pair since.

"Ennistymon is a filly we've always liked," he said. "She had a lovely run at the Curragh last year, and she won her maiden at Leopardstown on her return when there wasn't a very strong pace on, but she won well. We were delighted with her next start, when she stepped up to a mile and a half at Ascot, and everything has been well with her since.

"Passion is a filly we've always liked a lot, too. She progressed well from Navan to Ascot, and if there's any ease in the ground, it won't bother her. In an ideal world, though, we'd like nice ground for Love as she's a beautiful mover."

Gosden: This is a Whole Grade Higher for 'Darling'

O'Brien may have the favorite, but John Gosden has won as many Oaks in the past six years as the master of Ballydoyle and has a strong representative again in Frankly Darling.

The two master trainers of their era are three apiece in that time—you have to go back to 2013 to find another name on the trophy—and while Gosden has high hopes for Frankly Darling, he is fearful of Love.

"There's a very worthy favorite in the race, but we were thrilled to win a Ribblesdale with Frankly Darling," Gosden said. "This is a whole grade higher, but she's been in good form at home since, and we know she'll get the trip and is versatile as regards ground, so we expect her to give another good account in what looks a good Oaks.

"Hopefully, she can finish in the frame. Frankie (Dettori) rode her out earlier in the week, and we're happy with her going into the Oaks."

If that sounds slightly negative, do not let it put you off. It is just the man's style. The year the Gosden-trained Enable won the race, Rhododendron was the 8-11 favorite.

"The good ground should be fine for her in what looks a high-class Oaks in which we have a healthy respect for the favorite," Gosden said.

Rhododendron came from the Guineas, Enable had proved herself at the trip—albeit in a lesser grade. Could history repeat? 

There is a second string to the Gosden bow in the form of Betfair E.B.F. Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) seventh Tiempo Vuela.

"Things did not pan out for Tiempo Vuela in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket, which was her first start on grass, and she has pleased us since," the trainer added.

Varian Optimistic About Oaks Duo

O'Brien and Gosden may have had a stranglehold over the Oaks for the past six years, but Roger Varian and Peter Chapple-Hyam are bidding to break that sequence at Epsom.

Varian saddles two runners and is optimistic about Pretty Polly second Queen Daenerys, describing her as a "lively outsider," while he feels it is the right sort of Oaks to pitch in Newbury winner Gold Wand.

"It was a good run (at Newmarket) by Queen Daenerys. I thought she needed the run, and I liked how she stayed on from four out. It was quite a grueling race, actually. She had to work hard from the four pole, and all she did was lengthen," Varian said. "She did the best of those who raced off the pace, and I thought she was a very comfortable second. She just got tired in the final 100 yards when fitness told. 

"I think you'd call her a lively outsider. She needs to find improved form to win an Oaks, but she's not done much wrong in her career and is still on the upgrade. She's going to get every yard of the trip, and there's every reason to be optimistic about how she's going to run."

Of Gold Wand, he added: "She's a classy filly. It's a shame we've not had time to get two runs into her before the Oaks. She shows a lot of ability and hasn't done a lot wrong on the track.

"It's not a big field and the ground should be good, so I think it's the right circumstances to have a go with a bit of an inexperienced one."

Chapple-Hyam is no stranger to classic success at Epsom, having won the Derby with Dr Devious and Authorized, and hopes Ribblesdale fourth Bharani Star can give a good account of herself.

"Bharani Star is in good form and all set for the Investec Oaks. There are only eight runners, and hopefully she can run a big race," he said. "It's going to be tough, but she seems to have improved from Royal Ascot, and I'm very pleased with her at home. With hindsight, I think she probably could have finished closer (at Ascot), and I think she has progressed again from the Ribblesdale."